An American Airlines flight from New York to Delhi was forced to divert to Rome on Sunday following a bomb threat, with Italian fighter jets escorting the plane to safety.
American Airlines Flight 292, carrying 199 passengers and 15 crew members, made an abrupt U-turn over Turkmenistan just two hours from its destination. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was diverted after the airline received a “possible security issue” alert, later confirmed as a bomb threat via email.
The dramatic scene unfolded as two Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets were scrambled to intercept and escort the aircraft to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport. The Italian Air Force posted on X:
Social media images showed the Dreamliner tailed by fighter jets, raising concerns among passengers, who first learned of the issue when the captain announced the diversion.
Upon landing, the 199 passengers were taken to the terminal for screening, while the plane underwent a thorough inspection. No explosives were found, and the bomb threat was deemed unfounded.
“Safety and security are our top priorities, and we thank our customers for their understanding,” American Airlines said in a statement.
The aircraft was grounded for nearly 15 hours as Indian authorities insisted on a complete check before clearing it to resume its journey to New Delhi.